Car.



F. STEFYFEINS.

CAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1917.

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WITNESS F STEFFENS.

-CAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. I917.

Patenced June 11, 1918.

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Y |E 1 WITNESS.

F. STEFFENS.

CAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1917.

1,269,01 'y, Pafcented me 11, 1918.

F. STEFFENS.

CAB.

APPLICATION .FILED MAR. 12, 1917.

1, 69,0 1 7. Patnted June 11, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

M14 TTORNISY F. STEFFENS.

CAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1911.

1 369,1 K Patented June 11, 1918.

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A T'TORNE V FRED STEFFENS. OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

CAR.

Specification of Letters Iatent. Patented J n 11"191&

Application filed March 12, 1917. Serial No. 154,198.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be-it known that I. FRED Srrrrnxs, a

citizen of the United; States. residing at St.

Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of'Missouri. have invented a certain new and useful.Improvement in Cars, of which the following is a specification.

} My invention relates to improvements in *ars.

Itrelates particularly to motor driven passenger cars and especially to street cars on which the fares are collected bya contl'uctor.

()ne of the objects of my invention is to provide a car which will be of neat design,

of light weight and large seating-capacity,

which is adapted for easy and quick loading and unloading of passengers. which will be easy riding.'.- ell ventilated and comfortable. which will readily make sharp curves. and which will have a maximum tractive and braking power.

A further object of my invention is an arfrangement of the propelling motors ,such

that a maximum of power and tractive effort ma v be obtained therefrom. which will conserve energy. and which will greatly reduce the liability of the motor driven car wheels skidding'or slipping.

My invention furtherprovides a novel construction arranged so that the car body "will be supported on three bearings only.

whereby the car will be well-balanced and cramping of the trucks in making turns will be eliminated.

Still another object. of myinvention is to provide novel automatic registering means actuated by the passengers. and so arranged that each passenger before alighting from the car will cause a registration of his pres ence on the car.

Another object of my invention to pro vide on the car a conductors station so located that the conductor may have a clear view of the entire interior-of the car and of the entrance and exit of the passengers.

Mv invention further provides novel and efficient means for supporting the car body upon the trucks, so as to prevent accident in case of breakage. while at the same time atfording great flexibility with respect to the relative moven'lent between the trucks and the car body andifurnishing a firm and easy riding support forthe fcarbodyi My invention provides further a novel and etticient braking mechanism in which i the brake shoes will have maximum braking power. wlnch will a tford a minimum otwear .to the wheel tread and flanges, which will Fig. 2 is an enlarged planview ot' aportion of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe front truck and a portion of the body of the m.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectionon the line 1 l 10f Fig. '3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view oirtlie line 55 of Fig. 3. f I

Fig. (3 is a plan view of the rear truck with some of the parts omit-ted.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the rear truck and a portion of the car body. I v

Fig. 8 is a cross section. partly broken away. on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6. some of the parts being omitted. and a portion of the car body being shown. I

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View on'the line )9 of Fig. 6, some of the parts being omitted. Y 1 4 j Fig. lO'is an enlarged fragmental 'plan view of a portion of one of the motors.

Fig. 11 is a. plan view of'a portion of the .rear truck and, parts connected therewith.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged vertical sectional view. partly broken away, on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11. some ot'the parts being removed.

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectiorron the line 1313 of Fig. 12. the car-wheel being shown in'plan.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 1-i- 1 r otFig. ll.

, railing 1b. which l 21,wh1ch divide The -ar body 1 is provided near its forward end with two side entrances 5 and 6 separated by a transverse railing 7 and normally respectively closed by .outwardly opening doors e and 9. as shown inFig. 2.

The car body is provided near its middle with two side exits 10 and 11, separated by a transverse railing 12 and normally respectively closed by outwardly opening doors 13 and 14. lfig. 2. Immediately forward of the exit 10 ,is a transverse railing 15. the inner end of which connects to the rear end of :r longitudinal is parallel with and spaced apart from a conductors desk or tab e 17, with which it forms a passage which connects the rear eompartmentwith the. compartment just forward thereof, the rail.- ving 1-3 servingas the dividing line or partition between the two compartments..

A suitable registering means isprovided in the. passage 18. preferably one which is operable by the passengcrs'going through the passage. and preferably consisting ota turnstile registering mechanism 15 which. may be controlled by the conductor at his station bel nd the table or. desk 11'. and

- which. without being operated. will not permita passenger to pass from the forward compartment having the entrances 5 and 6;

to the rear compartment. having the exits 10 and 11. Any approved well known-type of tnrnstile registering mechanism may be employed.

In the forward compartment, justre ferredto, and in alinement with the passage 18, may be a centrallongitudinal railing 20- which divides the compattment into two longitudinal municate with each other at the endsof the railing 20. i

Forward-(lithe entrance 5 are-two seats ing therailing 20 from a front compartment. in which Between the seats 21 is a passage 22 which may be closed by doors E23. i I The different compartments may be provided with seats for the passengers arranged in any desired manner. In the drawing, the compartment containing the railing 20 -is provided with two longitudinal seats 23 and 24 whiehare disposed respectively at opposite sides of the compartment. This arrangement perm ts the ready entrance of assen'gers and:v a large aisle space and room 'for standing passengers. Therear compartthe. ear body provided with 2, an. elevated and the exit doors 13 and ll by the coa sub-compartments, which com-' the compartment containthe motorman is located;

ment may contain, as shown, all cross seats; Passengers after entering the car through the entrances 5 and 6-may-pay then are to the conductor as they pass through the therear compartment who may pass out.

through the exitj l.

\Vhen the car is nearly filled, passengers getting on may enter through the entrance 5'. and pass from 'there through the passage 22 to the seats 21, when the doors or gates 23 are open.

The car may thus be quickly filled and emptied, the collection of each fare is assured, and the number of fares collected will be correctly registered. I The position of the conduetors station is such that he can have ,a comprehensive 'view f the entire interior of the car and of the passengers entering and alighting.

The railings T. 12, 15, 1G and 20 with their supporting stanehions eliminate the'reqnirements of straps to hang to and thus ai'i'ortl a desirable safety feature. I

'I he doors 8, 9, 13. and 1-1 wilhof course,

be-norn'ially closed. The entrance doors 8 lice and 9 may be operated by the motormaia,

du'ctor. any suitable well known mechanism being providedfor this purpose. As the doors are closed, when the car 18 in motion, and as the entrance and e.\1tfloor 2 is but an ordinary step above thestreet level, and no hand holds are provided on the outside of the car, no person can beinjured in trying to get on or'oti' the car. Any suitable signaling mechanism, not shown, may be employed toinform the motorma-n when any of the entranee'or exit doors are open. For the instruction 01" the passengers, suitable signs maybe provided, although not shown, designating the entrance and the exit doors and the route 0t thecar.

The car body 1 is, carried on two trucks, three bearingscentrally on the front truck and two located at the extreme outer sides of they car body on the rear truck. The rear truck is designed to carry load and to serve as the tractive for motor being provided, one located the greater portid ro'ii the driven truck, and also as the truck towhich the brakes are applied- Both trucks are centrally pivoted to the car body. No weight is carried at the center of the rear truck, but all of the weight carried by the front truck is on one center bearing. This construction permits of very free action of lac fitted in an upper frame 29, which is mount-v ed upon coil compression springs 30, which arev supported in pairs upon the boxes 27 respectively. Bolts 31 prev'ided with nuts extend through the frames 28 and 29, boxes frame 41. v

27. and'coil springs 30, for limiting the movement apart of the upper and'lower frame. A central king/pin 32 extends through the floor of the body 1 and the frame 29. En-' circling the king pin 32 is aseriesof balls 33 mounted between bearing, members-"-34 and 35 which are respectively securedto' the frame 29 and the car body 1. The front truck is located closely adjacent. to the forward end ofthe car.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6, 7'a-nd v8, 36 designates thetwo axles of the rear truck, which are provided each with two car wheels 37and which are mounted in boxes 38 locat-ed respectively at the outer sides of said car wheels and which are mounted on a lower frame 39wvhich is secured to the lower ends and supported by vertical helical suspension springs 40, the upper ends of which are secured to andsupported by an upper frame 41, which is supported byfour-pairs of vert1- cal coil compression springs 42, said pairs beingmounted respectively upon theboxes 38 which are vertically slidable in the upper F or assuming thelfunction' of the suspension springs 10, in case that these: springs should break, there are provided loose ver tical chains 43, the lower ends of which are attached to the frame 39 and thejupper ends of which are attached to the frame 41. I

For supporting the car body 1 .on the rear truck, the car body has secured to its under side, closely adjacent to its outer sides respectivelytwo inverted curved channel bars 4%, in vwhich are adapted to run respectively two pairs of rollers 45, which pairs are respectively rotatably'mounted on and supported by two oscillatable members 46 which are'respectively pivoted on a horizontal axis to two blocks 47 by means of two horizontal transverse bolts 48. blocks 47 are mounted in a transverse channel bar 19, which forms part of the lower frame 39. For strengthening the frame 49, it is provided with two. transverse brace bars 50 mounted on struts 51 carried by the channel bar 49 and having their ends extending through and respectively secured to the blocks 47. I

The channel bar 49 is located'at the middle of the rear truck and has extending truck being located so as'to portion of the load.

The.

through it at its center a vertical'.kiug pin 52 which also extends through the frame 41' and the bottom portion of the car body 1. The inverted channels 44 are-disposed concentric with the kingpin 51,- and serve-.'as"

tracksfor the rollers 45." 1 y The car body ,1 is thus prbvided with two widely separated bearingsv on the, rear truck,- thus insuring stability, audits pi'v otal manner ofsupport by means of these hearings upon the rear truck affords great flexibility and permits the rear truck to readily assume different positions without cramping.

For propelling the car, I provide two electric motors 53, which may be of the usualtype and which are respectively mounted on therear truck at the-forward sidsto'f-thle rear axles 36. The motors 53are provided with the usual armature dnivingjshafts, 54, to which are respectively rigidly, secured two pimons 55,wh1ch respectively mesh with two spur-gear wheels56 respectively, rigidly secured to'the axles 36. Therear sides of the casings .of-the motors 53 arerespect-ively.

P1Vi)l3llly supportedon the axles 36, and their forward sides are respectively" supportedupon cpil springs 57, Fig 9, each set of which is supported upon a transverse bar.

5,8, which in-turn is supported by vertical bolts 59, mounted uponthe frame 41 and respectively encircled by coil springs. 60.,

which are arrangedto-resist"the, upward. IDONIQIDQIltQf the motor casing.

By, means of thls, m/annenof suspending.-

too

the motors, when the driving 'sha,ft's.S-Lare rotated. so as "to run the car forward, the "pin'ions will be rotated counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 9, ."and will exert, a downward pressure on the axles 36', through the intermediacy of-the gear wheels- 56, thereby exerting a downward pressure upon-the car wheels 37 so as to increasa their tractive efiort.-' As the car, isdesigned to. always run with the same end atftlie front, amaxi- 'mum of tractive power is obtained as compared with the usual construction in which the two motors are located eitherqboth between or both at the outer sides of the axles which they drive; The tractive effort is further increased by reason of the rear carry the greater By reason of this manner of suspending the motors and the disposition of: the rear truck so as to carry the reater portionoftheload, the braking eifort, which is ex erted upon the rear truck wheels,- will at-v tain the maximum, and skidding or spinni'ngof the wheels will be almost, if not entirely eliminated, thereby effecting a great saving in energy.

I will now dbscribe the braking mechanism. Referringparticularly to Figs. 11

to 15, 61 designates a braking cylinder,

which ismounted upon a horizontal plate .62, Fig." l1,,\vlnch'1s secured to and sup ported by the upp cr frame ll, instead of being carried, as is the usual eustlom, by the car body. T his-way of supporting the braking cylinder is of great advantage in 66, one end of which is pivoted to the forward end of the cylinder 61. The forward end of said cylinder has connected to it a flexible hose 67, which conveys the operating. fluid from the train pipe, not shown, to

the cylinder 61. Two transverse horizontal barsfiti, disposed respectively at the front and the rear of the axles 36, are respectively connected to the free ends of the leversbfi and 6 by two rods 69 and 70.

.en the operating fluid enters the cylinder 61' through the. hose 67, the piston rod 63 will be forced outwardly, thereby, through the intermediacy of the turn buckle 65, swinging the free ends of the levers (El and 66, toward each other, and thereby, by means of the rods 59 and 70, drawing the bars 68 toward each other, so as to set the brakes, as will now be described.

' To each end of each bar 68 is connected brake mechanism which operates upon ad acent wheel. 37. As each of these ake mechanisms is the same as the others,

' scription of one will suflice for-all. -:..he8il IIlIlg particularly to Figs. 12 "to i1 designates two brake shoes which are diseases. diametrically opposite the adjacent 1e36, and which are adapted to bear retively uponyopposite sides of a hub 72 provided. 'Each'brake shoe 7.]. at its upper end is "provided with two hooks 73, which embrace resting in' a recess provided in-the upper side of a plate 77 which is supported upon the-frame 41. y y A spacing tube '78 encircles the rod 74 and bears at its lower end upon the hooks 'fii3. The upper end of the tube 78 extends through a hole. 7 9 in the frame 41 and bears against the plate '17. i

Two levers-180 and 81 are respectively plyoted to the brake shoes 71 and have their.

lower ends respectively pivoted, below the h wh ch'jthe inner side ofeach wheel 37 v ascent? brake shoes 71, to the ends of a horizonta. longitudimd'turn buckle 82. The upper end of the lever 80 is pivoted to the adjacent end of the bar 68. The. upper end of the lever 81 is pivotally connected to and sup ported by the frame 41.

When the bar 68 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 12, the brake shoes 71 will be forced, through the intermediacy of the turn buckle S2 and lever 81 against the hub 72. thereby applying the brakes.

The hub'TZ is preferably provided with an annular peripheral groove 83, in which the two adjacent brake shoes 71 are pivoted, and thereby preventing movement of the brake shoes laterally and in a direction par- .allel with the axle 36.

In order that the brakes may be manually operated, when desired, thepiston rod 6-3 has attached to it a rearwardly ext-ending chain 84:, Fig. 11, which is attachedto one end of a lever 85, pivotally mounted on the frame -.t1 and having its opposite end piv- 7 oted to the rear end of a forwardly extend ing brake rod 86, which in setting the brakes, may be forwardly pulled by any .of the usual mechanisms, used for such pur-v pose. c

As the brake shoes 'areso hung as to strike thehub72 centrally with'respeet' to its height, the braking power will not be interfered with when the car is running light or heavily loaded and there will be no excessive wear on any-part of the truck such as is occasioned by the old method 0 hanging and applying the'brakes. As the usual brake beams are eliminated in this construction, there will be a greatreduction in the weight. As the brake-shoes are applied at the hub instead of at the tread of the wheels, there will be less water, snow,

dirt and ice picked up by theshoes, thus eliminating undue wear and liability of the brakes freezing up. Thus greater mileage.

and amore effective brake effort will be obtained than s obtamed with structures in which the brake shoes are applied to the tread of the wheels.

l rom the above, it will be seen that owing.

to the manner of motor suspension, em.- ployed, and the rear truck being arranged to carry the greater part of the load, a -maxi mum ofbraking eilicie s obtainable.

I do not limit myinv tion to the structure shown and described, "as modifications, within the scope of the appended elaiins, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. A car body, two trucks centrally p1v oted thereto, a single bearing on one track centrally supporting said car body, and two bearings supporting said car body on the other-truck. 2. A car body, two trucks centrally pivat opposite sides respectively of the axis thereof and supporting said car body.

weeps oted thereto, a single'bearing on one truei;

other truck, the truck carrying the two bearings being disposed so that itv carries the greater portion of the load. I

A'car body, a truck, and oscillatory bearing means pivoted to swing on a horizontal axis on said. truck and revoluble with respect to the car body and supporting the car body at two points at opposite sides respectively'of said axis,

'A. A car body, a truck, a bearing member pivoted to the truck on a horizontal axis, and two rollers supported by said member 5. A car body, a truck, two bearing members pivoted to the truck on a horizontal axis, and two pairs of rollers supporting said car body and respectively supported by said bearing members'at opposite sides of said axis. I

6. 'A car body having a curved track, a truck, a bearing member pivoted to the truckon a horizontal axis, and two rollers 'carried by said bearing member on'opposite sidesl-gof said axis and supporting said track. 7. A- car body, a truck centrally pivoted thereto,fand bearing meanspivoted tothe truck on a horizontal axis and revoluble respect to the car body and supporting the-.-latter at two points disposed respectivel y" at opposite sides of said axis.

8. A car body, a truck centrally pivotedthereto, a bearing member'pivoted on a horizontal axis to said truck, and tworollers supporting said car body and supported by said member at opposite sides respectively 9-. A car thereto, two bearlng' members pivoted to the truck-on a horizontal axis, and two pairs of rollers supporting said car body-and respectively supported by said bear ng members at opposite sides of said axis.

' 10. A car body, an axle, means including, .a helical suspension spring, having a vertical axis, for supporting the car body upon the axle, and normally'inactive, means for assuming the functions of said suspension spring should the latter become inoperatiye.

11. A car body, an axle, and means mcluding a helical suspension spring having a vertical axis and including a chain for supporting the car body upon the axle, the chain being normally inactive and having provision for assuming the functionof the suspension spring should the latterbecome inoperative.

12. A car body, an axle, and means including-a suspension spring and a supportlng member for supporting the car body upon the axle, said supporting member be ng normally inactive and having-prov sion for assuming the function of the spring should the latter'become inoperative.

135A car body, an axle; and mca nsin eluding a suspension spring anda chain for supporting the'car body upon the a'xle,-the chain being normally inactive 'and. having provision for assuming the function of the spring should. the latter become inoperative. I

ii. A car body, an axle, an upper frame, a lower frame, bearing means pivoially supported on a horizontal axis on the lower frame and supporting said car body, a suspension spring suspending the lower frame from the upper frame, and means supported by the axle for supporting the upper frame.

i 15. A car body,.an axle,-an upper frame,

a lower frame. bearing means pivol'ally supported on ahorizontal axis on the lower frame and including two rollers supporting the carbody and disposed respectively at opposite sides of said axis, resilient means supporting the lower frame'froin the upper frame, and means supported by the axle for supporting the upper frame. Y

16. A car body, an axle, an upper frame, a lower frame, bearing means pivotally supported on a horizontal axis on the lower frame and supporting saidcar body, resilient means supporting the lower frame from the upper frame, and means supported by the axle for supporting the upper frame.

17. A car, an axlefan upper frame, a lower frame, a bearing member pivotally supported on a horizontal axis on the lower frame. two rollers supporting said car bodyand supported-by said member at opposite sides respectively of said axis, resilient means supporting the lower frame from the .upper frame, and means supported by the axle for 'supporting the upper frame.

18. A car body, an axle, two frames, resilient means by which one frame is supported by the other, means for supporting one frame upon the axle, and bearing means pivoted'on a horizontal axis upon the other frame and. supporting and revoluble with respect to the car body.

19 A car body, an axle, two frames, resil-' icnt means supporting one frame upon the other, means for supporting one frame upon the axle, abearing member pivoted on a tors carried by the last named truck, and

gearing connecting said motors with said axles respectively and exerting downward pressure thereon-when the motors are operated to turn the axles in. one direction.

21. Ina car, a car body, two trucks supporting the car body, one being'disposed so as to carry a greater portion of the load and having two axles, two motors carried by the 5 last named truck, gearing connecting said motors with said axles respectively and exerting downward pressure thereon when the motors are operated to turn' the axiles in one direction, anci braking means earned by the last named truek'and arranged to operate lo upon one of said axles.

In testimony whereof I have sig'n fl my name'to this specification FRED STEFFENS. 

